anabasis-第27章

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II

The　time　came　when　it　was　no　longer　possible　to　capture　provisions；　　　　　1　going　and　returning　to　the　camp　in　one　day。　In　consequence　of　this；　Xenophon　took　some　guides　from　the　Trapezuntines　and　led　half　the　army　out　against　the　Drilae；　leaving　the　other　half　to　guard　the　camp。　That　was　necessary；　since　the　Colchians；　who　had　been　ousted　from　their　houses；　were　assembled　thickly；　and　sat　eyeing　them　from　the　heights　above；　on　the　other　hand　the　Trapezuntines；　being　friendly　to　the　native　inhabitants；　were　not　for　leading　the　Hellenes　to　places　where　it　was　easy　to　capture　provisions。　But　against　the　Drilae；　from　whom　they　personally　suffered；　they　would　lead　them　with　enthusiasm；　up　into　mountainous　and　scarcely　accessible　fortresses；　and　against　the　most　warlike　people　of　any　in　the　Pontus。

But　when　the　Hellenes　had　reached　the　uplands；　the　Drilae　set　fire　to　all　their　fastnesses　which　they　thought　could　be　taken　easily；　and　beat　a　retreat；　and　except　here　and　there　a　stray　pig　or　bullock　or　other　animal　which　had　escaped　the　fire　there　was　nothing　to　capture；　but　there　was　one　fastness　which　served　as　their　metropolis：　into　this　the　different　streams　of　people　collected；　round　it　ran　a　tremendously　deep　ravine；　and　the　approaches　to　the　place　were　difficult。　So　the　light　infantry　ran　forward　five　or　six　furlongs　in　advance　of　the　heavy　infantry；　and　crossed　the　ravine；　and　seeing　quantities　of　sheep　and　other　things；　proceeded　to　attack　the　place。　Close　at　their　heels　followed　a　number　of　those　who　had　set　out　on　the　foray　armed　with　spears；　so　that　the　storming　party　across　the　ravine　amounted　to　more　than　two　thousand。　But；　finding　that　they　could　not　take　the　place　by　　　5　a　coup…de…main；　as　there　was　a　trench　running　round　it；　mounded　up　some　breadth；　with　a　stockade　on　the　top　of　the　earthwork　and　a　close…packed　row　of　wooden　bastions；　they　made　an　attempt　to　run　back；　but　the　enemy　fell　upon　them　from　the　rear。　To　get　away　by　a　sudden　rush　was　out　of　the　question；　since　the　descent　from　the　fortress　into　the　ravine　only　admitted　of　moving　in　single　file。　Under　the　circumstances　they　sent　to　Xenophon；　who　was　in　command　of　the　heavy　infantry。　The　messenger　came　and　delivered　his　message：　〃There　is　a　fastness　choke　full　of　all　sorts　of　stores；　but　we　cannot　take　it；　it　is　too　strong；　nor　can　we　easily　get　away；　the　enemy　rush　out　and　deliver　battle；　and　the　return　is　difficult。〃

On　hearing　this；　Xenophon　pushed　forward　his　heavy　infantry　to　the　edge　of　the　ravine；　and　there　ordered　them　to　take　up　a　position；　while　he　himself　with　the　officers　crossed　over　to　determine　whether　it　were　better　to　withdraw　the　party　already　across；　or　to　bring　over　the　heavy　infantry　also；　on　the　supposition　that　the　fortress　might　be　taken。　In　favour　of　the　latter　opinion　it　was　agreed　that　the　retreat　must　cost　many　lives；　and　the　officers　were　further　disposed　to　think；　they　could　take　the　place。　Xenophon　consented；　relying　on　the　victims；　for　the　seers　had　announced；　that　there　would　be　a　battle；　but　that　the　result　of　the　expedition　would　be　good。　So　he　sent　the　officers　to　bring　the　heavy　troops　across；　while　he　himself　remained；　having　drawn　off　all　the　light　infantry　and　forbidden　all　sharp…shooting　at　long　range。　As　soon　as　the　heavy　infantry　had　arrived；　he　ordered　each　captain　to　form　his　company；　in　whatever　way　he　hoped　to　make　it　most　effective　in　the　coming　struggle。　Side　by　side　together　they　stood；　these　captains；　not　for　the　first　time　to…day　competitors　for　the　award　of　manly　virtue。　While　they　were　thus　employed；　hethe　generalwas　engaged　in　passing　down　his　order　along　the　ranks　of　the　light　infantry　and　archers　respectively　to　march　with　the　javelin　on　its　thong　and　the　arrow　to　the　string；　ready　at　the　word　〃shoot〃　to　discharge　their　missiles；　while　the　light　troops　were　to　have　their　wallets　well　stocked　with　slingstones；　lastly；　he　despatched　his　　　　　　　　12　adjutants　to　see　to　the　proper　carrying　out　of　these　orders。

And　now　the　preparations　were　complete：　the　officers　and　lieutenants　and　all　others　claiming　to　be　peers　of　these；　were　drawn　up　in　their　several　places。　With　a　glance　each　was　able　to　command　the　rest　in　the　crescent…like　disposition　which　the　ground　invited。　Presently　the　notes　of　the　battle　hymn　arose；　the　clarion　spoke；　and　with　a　thrilling　cry　in　honour　of　the　warrior…god；　commenced　a　rush　of　the　heavy　infantry　at　full　speed　under　cover　of　a　storm　of　missiles；　lances；　arrows；　bullets；　but　most　of　all　stones　hurled　from　the　hand　with　ceaseless　pelt；　while　there　were　some　who　brought　firebrands　to　bear。　Overwhelmed　by　this　crowd　of　missiles；　the　enemy　left　their　stockades　and　their　bastion　towers；　which　gave　Agasias　the　Stymphalian　and　Philoxenus　of　Pellene　a　chance　not　to　be　missed；　laying　aside　their　heavy　arms；　up　they　went　in　bare　tunics　only；　and　one　hauled　another　up；　and　meantime　another　had　mounted；　and　the　place　was　taken；　as　they　thought。　Then　the　peltasts　and　light　troops　rushed　in　and　began　snatching　what　each　man　could。　Xenophon　the　while；　posted　at　the　gates；　kept　back　as　many　of　the　hoplites　as　he　could；　for　there　were　other　enemies　now　visible　on　certain　strong　citadel　heights；　and　after　a　lapse　of　no　long　time　a　shout　arose　within；　and　the　men　came　running　back；　some　still　clutching　what　they　had　seized；　and　presently　here　and　there　a　wounded　man；　and　mighty　was　the　jostling　about　the　portals。　To　the　questions　which　were　put　to　them　the　outpouring　fugitives　repeated　the　same　story：　there　was　a　citadel　within　and　enemies　in　crowds　were　making　savage　sallies　and　beating　the　fellows　inside。

At　that　Xenophon　ordered　Tolmides　the　herald　to　proclaim：　〃Enter　all　who　are　minded　to　capture　aught。〃　In　poured　the　surging　multitude；　and　the　counter…current　of　persons　elbowing　their　passage　in　prevailed　over　the　stream　of　those　who　issued　forth；　until　they　beat　back　and　cooped　up　the　enemy　within　the　citadel　again。　So　outside　the　citadel　everything　was　sacked　and　pillaged　by　the　Hellenes；　and　the　heavy　infantry　took　up　their　position；　some　about　the　stockades；　others　　　　　　　19　along　the　road　leading　up　to　the　citadel。　Xenophon　and　the　officers　meantime　considered　the　possibility　of　taking　the　citadel；　for　if　so；　their　safety　was　assured；　but　if　otherwise；　it　would　be　very　difficult　to　get　away。　As　the　result　of　their　deliberations　they　agreed　that　the　place　was　impregnable。　Then　they　began　making　preparations　for　the　retreat。　Each　set　of　men　proceeded　to　pull　down　the　palisading　which　faced　themselves；　further；　they　sent　away　all　who　were　useless　or　who　had　enough　to　do　to　carry　their　burdens；　with　the　mass　of　the　heavy　infantry　accompanying　them；　the　officers　in　each　case　leaving　behind　men　whom　they　could　severally　depend　on。

But　as　soon　as　they　began　to　retreat；　out　rushed　upon　them　from　within　a　host　of　fellows；　armed　with　wicker　shields　and　lances；　greaves　and　Paphlagonian　helmets。　Others　might　be　seen　scaling　the　houses　on　this　side　and　that　of　the　road　leading　into　the　citadel。　Even　pursuit　in　the　direction　of　the　citadel　was　dangerous；　since　the　enemy　kept　hurling　down　on　them　great　beams　from　above；　so　that　to　stop　and　to　make　off　were　alike　dangerous；　and　night　approaching　was　full　of　terrors。　But　in　the　midst　of　their　fighting　and　their　despair　some　god　gave　them　a　means　of　safety。　All　of　a　sudden；　by　whatsoever　hand　ignited；　a　flame　shot　up；　it　came　from　a　house　on　the　right　hand；　and　as　this　gradually　fell　in；　the　people　from　the　other　houses　on　the　right　took　to　their　heels　and　fled。

Xenophon；　laying　this　lesson　of　fortune　to　heart；　gave　orders　to　set　fire　to　the　left…hand　houses　also；　which　being　of　wood　burned　quickly；　with　the　result　that　the　occupants　of　these　also　took　to　flight。　The　men　immediately　at　their　front　were　the　sole　annoyance　now；　and　these　were　safe　to　fall　upon　them　as　they　made　their　exit　and　in　their　descent。　Here　then　the　word　was　passed　for　all　who　were　out　of　range　to　bring　up　logs　of　wood　and　pile　them　between　themselves　and　the　enemy；　and　when　there　was　enough　of　these　they　set　them　on　fire；　they　also　fired　the　houses　along　the　trench…work　itself；　so　as　to　occupy　the　attention　of　the　enemy。　Thus　they　got　off；　though　with　difficulty；　and　escaped　from　the　place　by　putting　a　fire　between　them　and　the　　　　　　　27　enemy；　and　the　whole　city　was　burnt　down；　houses；　turrets；　stockading；　and　everything　belonging　to　it　except　the　citadel。

Next　day　the　Hellenes　were　bent　on　getting　back　with　the　provisions；　but　as　they　dreaded　the　descent　to　Trapezus；　which　was　precipitous　and　narrow；　they　laid　a　false　ambuscade；　and　a　Mysian；　called　after　the　name　of　his　nation　（Mysus）＇1＇；　took　ten　of　the　Cretans　and　halted　in　some　thick　brushy　ground；　where　he　made　a　feint　of　endeavouring　to　escape　the　notice　of　the　enemy。　The　glint　of　their　light　shields；　which　were　of　brass；　now　and　again　gleamed　through　the　brushwood。　The　enemy；　seeing　it　all　through　the　thicket；　were　confirmed　in　their　fears　of　an　ambuscade。　But　the　army　meanwhile　was　quietly　making　its　descent；　and　when　it　appeared　that　they　had　crept　down　far　enough；　the　signal　was　given　to　the　Mysian　to　flee　as　fast　as　he　could；　and　he；　springing　up；　fled　with　his　men。　The　rest　of　the　party；　that　is　the　Cretans；　saying；　〃We　are　caught　if　we　race；〃　left　the　road　and　plunged　into　a　wood；　and　tumbling　and　rolling　down　the　gullies　were　saved。　The　Mysian；　fleeing　along　the　road；　kept　crying　for　assistance；　which　they　sent　him；　and　picked　him　up　wounded。　The　party　of　rescue　now　beat　a　retreat　themselves　with　their　face　to　the　foe；　exposed　to　a　shower　of　missiles；　to　which　some　of　the　Cretan　bowmen　responded　with　their　arrows。　In　this　way　they　all　reached　the　camp　in　safety。

＇1＇　Lit。　〃｛Musos｝　（Mysus）；　a　Mysian　by　birth；　and　｛Musos｝　（Mysus）　by　　　　　name。〃



III

Now　when　Cheirisophus　did　not　arrive；　and　the　supply　of　ships　was　　　　　　　1　insufficient；　and　to　get　provisions　longer　was　impossible；　they　resolved　to　depart。　On　board　the　vessels　they　embarked　the　sick；　and　those　above　forty　years　of　age；　with　the　boys　and　women；　and　all　the　baggage　which　the　solders　were　not　absolutely　forced　to　take　for　their　own　use。　The　two　eldest　generals；　Philesius　and　Sophaenetus；　were　put　in　charge；　and　so　the　party　embarked；　while　the　rest　resumed　their　march；　for　the　road　was　now　completely　constructed。　Continuing　their　march　that　day　and　the　next；　on　the　third　they　reached　Cerasus；　a　Hellenic　city　on　the　sea；　and　a　colony　of　Sinope；　in　the　country　of　the　Colchians。　Here　they　halted　ten　days；　and　there　was　a　review　and　numbering　of　the　troops　under　arms；　when　there　were　found　to　be　eight　　　3　thousand　six　hundred　men。　So　many　had　escaped；　the　rest　had　perished　at　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　or　by　reason　of　the　snow；　or　else　disease。

At　this　time　and　place　they　divided　the　money　accruing　from　the　captives　sold；　and　a　tithe　selected　for　Apollo　and　Artemis　of　the　Ephesians　was　divided　between　the　generals；　each　of　whom　took　a　portion　to　guard　for　the　gods；　Neon　the　Asinaean＇1＇　taking　on　behalf　of　Cheirisophus。

＇1＇　I。e。　of　Asine；　perhaps　the　place　named　in　Thuc。　iv。　13；　54；　vi。　93　　　　　situated　on　the　western　side　of　the　Messenian　bay。　Strabo；　　　　　however；　speaks　of　another　Asine　near　Gytheum；　but　possibly　means　　　　　Las。　See　Arnold's　note　to